Arc lamp



Deb. 5, 1933- J, H. WAGENHORST ARC LAMP Filed Jan. 14, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 5, 1933. J. H. WAGENHORST 1,938,236

ARC LAMP Filed Jan. 14. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J /07 5 J6 J4 7 x J/ 2 m 1933. J. H. WAGENHORST 1,938,236

ARC LAMP Filed Jan. 14, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Dec. 5, 1933 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE' 9 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in arc lamps, andhas to do, moreparticularly, with are lamps of a construction peculiarly fitting them for therapeutic use in hospitals or the like, although certain features of my invention may well be incorporated in arc lamps for other uses.

The chief object of my invention is to provide an arc lamp having a cabinetprovided with a double reflector of such a'nature that the lightfrom the are or arcs enclosed within the cabinet is directed through diverging reflectors upon two zones spaced on opposite sides of the apparatus,.so that, for instance, the apparatus may be placed between two beds in a hospital and used to treat simultaneously patients lying upon the two beds.

A further object of my invention is to provide a simple and economical arc lamp construction which can be manufactured cheaply and yet is strong and. efficient in operation.

A further object of my invention is to provide an arc lamp cabinet having 'vents in the upper portion of the reflector through which fumesfrom the arc may escape upwardly and, further, to provide above the reflector a housing for the operating mechanism provided with vents through which the arc fumes andthe heated air from the resistances or rheostat constituting a part of the operating mechanism, may escape to the outside air. A further object of my invention is to provide an improved dashpot construction for retarding the movement of the electrodes in a direction to draw the arc, which shall be verysimple .and cheap, to manufacture; v e

Further-objects, and'objects relating to detailsand economies of construction. and operation,

will definitely appear from the detailed descrip-' tion;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional 'view through the upper portion of the apparatus, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view, taken 0 Fig. 2 is a view of this apparatus in end eleva I the line 4--4 of Fig. 3, showing the support for the solenoid andthe dashpot; i

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view, in side elevation, of'the parts shown in Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view, taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3, showing the support for the, stationary electrodes, the parts being sectioned around the clamping screw in order to show the insulation;

Fig. 7 is, a detail sectional view takenon the 65, line 77 of Fig. 3, and showing one of the clutches;

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 8-.8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is:a-vertical sectional view through the 7 dashpot, taken on the line 99 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view through the dashpot piston, taken on the line 10-10 of' Fig. 9;

11 is a horizontal sectional view, taken on the line 11-11 of i Fig. 3, showing the electrode-operating levers and their mounting;

Fig. 12 is a detail sectional view, ,taken on the line 1212 of Fig. 11, showing the connection between the upper end of the electrode-operat ing link and the operating lever; and I 'Fig. 13 is-a sectional-view, taken .on the line 13--13 of Fig. 2, showing a detail of the construction of the supporting stand.

In the drawings, the same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the several views and thesectional views are taken looking in thedirection of the arrows-at the ends of the section lines. g

In general, 'my invention consistsin providing a frame which supports the cabinet and the operating mechanism of the lamp, and a cabinet having two diverging hood-like reflectors which merge into a central "arc chamber, within which. the are or arcs are drawn betweenthe cooperat- .ing electrodes of the lamp. The light from the.

arcs is thus directed through the reflector members upon spaced zones at opposite sides of the, apparatus. The frame is preferably. a U-shaped member with the reflector cabinet positioned between and secured to the legs of the frame.

, The operating mechanism of thelamp is suspendedfrom the, top member ofthe frame, with the movable electrodes depending through holes in the, upper wall of the cabinet into the chamber inwhich the arc or arcs are formed. The cooperating stationary electrodes are supported within this chamber in alinement with the movable electrodes. The support for the stationary electrodes may well take the form of a brace 0 bar extending across the chamber within the cabinet and secured to the side walls ofthe cabinet and the side members of the frame. The

operating 'mechanism' may be suspended from.

" and I have provided vents in the upper portion of the reflector cabinet through which these fumes may escape, and vents in the housing for the operating mechanism through which fumes and hot air coming from the lamp rheostat may escape.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in

which I have illustrated an apparatus constituting a preferred embodiment of my invention, the U-shaped frame member comprises the legs and the top member 11. This'framemember may well be made of a pipe bent'to this form. The reflector cabinet is made'of sheet metal, bent so as to form an arc chamberhaving a top wall l2,'a parallel bottom wall 13 and parallel end walls 14 at right angles to the top and; bot

tom walls. This forms a comparatively narrow but substantially rectangular chamber with in which the arcs are located. From the sides of this chamber lead the two downwardly-directed and diverging reflector members, each having the substantially parallel and downwardly-inclined top and bottom walls 15 and 16, extending from the walls 12 and 13, respectively, and the end walls 17' which are inclined towards each other, as shown more particularly in Fig. 1. This reflector cabinet is of such construction that it can be made very cheaply and conveniently from two flat sheets of metal by notching and bending'one sheet to form the bottom walls 13 and 16 and portions of the end walls 17, and bending the other sheet to form the top walls 12 and"l5 and the end walls 1'7, overlapping the end wall portions of the two sheets and securing them together in any desired manner.

A brace bar 18 extends within the central chamber. of the cabinet from one end wall 14 to the other. This brace, bar has lateral flanges 19 at the opposite ends thereof, which lie against the inner sides of the end walls 14 and bolts 20 extend through the legs 10 of the frame, the end i walls 14 and the flanges 19, as shown in Fig. 6,

thus securing the frame and the brace bar to gether and fasteningthe reflector cabinet to the frame. The brace bar 1 8 thusserves as a stiifening and reinforcing member for the reflector cabinet and, also, affords supports for the "sta- ,tionaryelectrodes 21, the upper ends of which are located within the arcchamber, while the lower ends may depend therefrom through the openings 22 in the lower wall 13. Grooves or depressions 23 are formed, at the proper intervals, 3 in the brace bar 18. 'A' strip 24, of ins1'ilating receive the'electrodes' 21 is also applied to'thev clamping screw 27 so that the electrodes may be clamped between the members '25 and 26. The head of the clamping screw2'7 is on the rear v12 of the arc chamber.

levers cross; as shown in Figs. 3

side of the bar 18, insulated therefrom by the insulating'washer 29. The shank of the bolt 2'! passes through an insulating sleeve in the bar 13; so that the clamping members 25 and 26 and the bolt 27 are insulated completely from the bar 18. A wing nut 28 screwed upon the outer end of the bolt 2'7 engages the outer clamping member 26 and thereby clamps the electrodes '21 in position upon the bar 18. In Fig. 3, I have shown two pairs of stationary electrodes, and it will beunderstood that Fig. 6 shows the clamping means for one pair only, a similar means be- .ing provided for clamping the other pair of elecin alinement with the stationary electrodes,

passing through holes 32 formed in the top wall anism of the lamp is suspended from the top member 11 of the frame by a U-shaped hanger having the legs or side members 33 and the bottom member 34. The upper ends offthe legs 33 are bent laterally, at 35, and lie against the top member of the frame. Arms 36 extend. downwardly from the ends of the portions of the hanger. The hanger is secured to the top memberof the frame by bolts 3'7, which extend through the portions 35., The bottom member 34 of. the hanger lies upon the. top wall 12 of the reflector cabinet and the latter is secured thereto by the bolts 38. In this way, the reflector cabinet is secured to the frame by the bolts 20 and, through the hanger, by. the bolts 38.

"An operating solenoid 45 is resiliently supported by the hanger, substantially centrally thereof, as shown in Fig.3, so that vibrations of the coil due to the use of .alternating'current will not betransmitted tothe rest of the lamp. Blocks 39 are secured ,to one sidemember 33 of the hanger by bolts 40: shaped supporting member 41, of spring steel, passes through and is clamped in each block 39 and, at the outerend of each leg of the U shaped member 41, there is an eye 42 receiving a bolt 43. There are three of these'bolts 43 ar-,

ranged equi-distantly around the solenoid 45 and their ends'extend throughthe Y-shaped clamping bars 44 applied to the top and bottom of the solenoid. Nuts screwed on-the ends of the bolts 43 fasten 'the solenoid to the spring steel supporting, members 41 and, in this way, the solenoid is resiliently supported from the hanger. A

laminated core .46 works in the solenoid and is connectedto the inner ends of electrode-operating levers 47 by the springs 49, the upper endsof which are hooked into openings 48 in the inner ends of levers 47.

The electrode-operating levers l47 are pivoted on the depending arms 36 of the, hanger, as shown in Figs. 3 and 11. Eachlever is substantially U-shaped throughout the greater portion of its length and comprises the side members 4'7 and the bight 50. The outer ends of the side members spaced from each other by a spacing sleeve 5 1 and a bolt 52. The corre sponding hanger arm 36 extends between the side members' t'l, as shown in Fig. 11, and the lever is pivoted thereto by a pin 53 passing member of each lever is extended, at 54, beyond the other, and the inner ends of these and 11, and are connected loosely by a pin 55 carried by one arm 54 working in-a slot 56 in the other arm. ,In

The operating mech- The bight of a U- lee through saidside members and arm. One side order to space these levers apart theproper dis- 7 tance, spacing'sleeve '1 isprovided, as-shown tending finger 79 projectsithrough a hole in the in'Fig. 11.

In order to retard movement of the operating levers in a direction to draw the arcs, I I have provided a dashpot supported by thehanger. A piston rod 60 has its upper end connected to the inner end of one of the levers .47; The lower end of this piston rod is bent laterally at 61 and then bent upwardly again at '62, extending within the open lower end of a dashpot cylinder 63. The upper end of this cylinder isclosed by a cap .64 fitting snugly within it and secured thereto by g a screw 68 which also fastens the cylinder to a saddle 69 secured to :thehanger side member 33, by which means the dashpot is: supported. A

port 65 is provided in the cap 64 and closed: by avalve formed by thehead 66 of a rivet, the stem 67 of which is split, as shown in Fig. 9, so as'to prevent displacement of this element. This valve is sufficient to permit the escape of air upon upward movement of'the piston within,

the cylindenwhile preventing ingress of air upon the downward movement of the piston. The piston 70 is preferably made of carbon and fits snugly within the cylinder 63... Inorder to connect it 'to' the portion 62 of the piston .rod, a tube 71 is inserted through the piston and the exposed outer end of this tube is flattened at '72,

so as to seal thetube completely. .A loop '73,

at the-upper end .ofthe portion 62 of the piston rod, is hooked through a hole formed in the flattened portion '72 of .the tube. This makes a very effective connectionbetween thepiston and the piston rod, which is, in fact, a univerhas two openings therein, an enlarged opening 77, accommodating. the left-hand .electrode shown in Fig. 8, and a clutchopening 78 receiving the right-hand electrode 31 and of such dimensions that the edges of the hole will bind "and grip this electrode when the plate is tilted. Anelectrode-operating link .81 .has an outwardlyturned lower end 80 from which the laterally exend of clutch plate 76, as shown in- Figs. '7 and 8. Theupper ends of eachpair of movable elec.-' .trodes areclampedWithin the electrode hold-' ers 82 and the links or rods 81 extend through holes in and are guided by the rod guides 83 secured to said electrode holders. I

A strip 84, of insulation, is wrapped aroun the bight 50 of each operating lever 47, as shown in Fig. 12. The clamping member 85 is clamped around this piece of insulation by a' bolt 87 extending through theiprojcting gears 86 andis provided with a bearing extension 88 which receives the laterally-extending trunnion 89 upon the upper end of the corresponding clutch-operating rod 81. A cotter pin.90, passed through the end of the trunnion 89, prevents its displacement from the bearing 88. In this way, a pivotal connection is provided very simply and conveniently betweentheo'perating lever and the corresponding clutch-operating link or rod, and, at the same time, the leverv is insulated from the rod so that the operating circuit will not be short-circuited throughthe levers.

Slabs 92 of asbestos board, which serve as both heat and electrical insulation, are fastened to the side members 33 of'the'hanger and the resistance coils 91 aremounted on these slabs, for instance, by means of the bolts 93 carrying, the clamping members 94 embracing adjacent turns of the coil, as shown in Fig. 5. The wires 95 leadingto the'outside mains are'brought into the switch 96 mounted on one side member 10 of the frame. From this switch, a wire 9'7 leads to the right-hand resistance .coil 91, as shown in Fig. 3, and from the upper end of this coil a wire 98 leads to the electrode holder 82 for the left-handpairiof movable electrodes. The path of the current is from one of these movable electrodes. to the corresponding stationary electrode and, from the electrode clamp for the left-hand stationary electrodes, a wire 99 leads to the lower end of the left-hand resistance coil 91. From the upper end of the left-hand resistance coil 91,.a wire 100 leads to the upper end of the winding of solenoid 45 and, from the lower end of this winding, a wire 101 leads to theright-hand electrode holder'82. From this elec-' trode holder 82 the-current passesthrough one or the otherof the movable electrodes 31 and the corresponding stationary electrode 21 to the clamp for the right-hand stationary electrodes.

each of which is provided with a stiffening flange.

104, at its lower edge, which is connected by hinges 105 to the top'portion of the reflector cabinet. 'The' side and top portions of each housing member 103'are'grooved at 106 and 107 to fit the side and top members of the frame, as shown in Fig. :2, and they may be held in closed position. bythe screws 108' screwed into the top member 11 of the frame. Vent openings 109are formed in the lower portions of'the side members 103 substantially in line with the hanger,'as shown in Fig; 3, and the upper corners are cut away to form the vent openings 110. Enlarged vents 111 are formed in the top wall 12 of the reflector cabinet, substantially in line with the resistance coils 91. By means of these vents, any fumes and hot air generated by the arcs may escape through the vents'lll into the housing for the working'mechanism and, thence, through the vent openings 109 and 110, in the housing, together with any heated air coming from the resistance coils, or. other parts. of the apparatus which are heated inuse. The slabs 92, on which the resistance coils are mounted, are so located with respect to the openings 109 that they act as baffies between the vents 109 and vents 111 so that fumes and heated air pass upwardly and are directed over the resistance coils and out the vents at the upper corners of the mechanism housing.

The are lamp and its frame may either be suspended, or supported upon-a stand, and, in the accompanying drawings, I have shown a form of stand particularly fitted for this appa ratus. This comprises a U-shaped support having a bottom member 112 and side members 113. These side members aretubular and the legs 10 of the frame are adapted to telescope therein, as shown in Fig.1. A series of holes 114 are formed in the side members 113' and pins 115 may be insertedxthrough selected ones of these holes, thus determining the height at which the apparatus will be supported and permitting some adjustment of the apparatus up and down. Legs 116 are provided which have their upper ends flattened at 11'7 so as to fit, on opposite sides of the side members 113, to which they are fastened by the bolts 118, as shown in Fig. 13.

Notwithstanding the fact that the. fumes are vented throughthe holes in the. upper portion of the reflector cabinet, some heat will pass out through the reflector openings with the light and, if this is detrimental to the patient, it may be dissipated byproviding' in the bottom member 112 of the support an electric oscillating fan 119 connected-by .wires'120 withthe switch 96. This fan is located in the central plane of the apparatus and, therefore, the arcs will be shielded by the lower walls 16 and 13 of the reflector cabinet, so as to prevent the air currents from the fan from blowing out the arcs.

It will be seen that I have provided an apparatus which is. very well fitted for hospital use ,in that it can be placed: between two beds and the two reflector members will'direct the light from the arcs upon each bed, so that two patients. can be given a light treatment simultaneously with this apparatus. Furthermore, the light is all directed downwardly upon the bed, so that it will not get in the eyes of doctors, nurses or other attendants, and no one will be required to wear goggles during these light treatments except the patient. This apparatus is very simple and compact and can be operated easily and may either be mounted on a stand, as shown, orsuspended from the ceiling between the beds. -Any fumes from the arcs escape upwardly through vents in the upper portion of the reflector cabinet, so that the patients being treated are not subjected to any discomfort fromfumes. The apparatus also contains a number of novel and important features of construction which make it simpler and cheaper to build.

I am aware that the particular apparatus illustrated and described herein may be changed considerably without departing from the spirit of my invention, and, therefore, I claim my invention broadly, as indicated by the appended claims. I 1

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In an arc lamp, the combination of a U- shaped frame, a cabinet located between and secured to the legs of said frame and having two depending and diverging hood-like reflector members, the light-projecting axes of which are disposed at an angle of substantially ninety degrees with respect to each other and forty-five degrees with respect to the vertical plane through the center of the lamp, the inner portions of which merge in an arc chamber, electrode-operating mechanism carried by said frame, a movable electrode depending from said mechanism through the upper wall of said chamber, and a stationary electrode supported within said chamber in alinement with the movable electrode, whereby the light from an are drawn between said electrodes is directed by said reflector members upon two zones at op-' posite sides of the apparatus. f

' 2. In an arclamp, the combination of a Li'- shaped frame, a reflector cabinet located between and secured to the legs of said frame, a U-shaped hanger secured to and depending from the top member of saidframe and having its bottom member secured to the top wall of the' reflector cabinet, an electrode operating lever pivoted on said hanger, means for operatingsaid lever, a' movable electrode suspended from said lever and depending through the upper wall of said cabinet, and a stationary electrode. supported withinsaid cabinet in alinement with the movable electrode.

3. In an arc lamp, the, combination of a.U-. shaped frame, a reflector cabinet located between. and secured to the legs of said frame, a U-shaped hanger'member secured 'to and (16- 9 pending from the top of said frameand secured? to the upper. wall of the reflector cabinet, an

operating. solenoid centrally carried by; said hanger, an. operating lever pivoted on said hanger, ,a core for said solenoid. connected to one end of saidtlever, a movable electrode depending from .the other end of said lever through the upper wall of the reflector cabinet andv a stationary electrode supported within said cabinet in alinement with the movable electrode.

4. In an arc lamp, the combination of a frame,. electrode-operated mechanism carried by said frame, a cabinet secured to said frame.

and having a downwardly-directed reflector member, a-brace bar extending between the side 05;

members of said frame .withinfsaid cabinet, a

stationary electrode supported by saidbar and a movable electrode depending from said operating mechanism through theupper wall of said cabinet in alinement with the stationary electrode. a 5."In an arc lamp, the combination of a U.-

shaped frame, electrode-operating mechanism carriedby said frame, a reflector cabinet 10- cated between and secured to the legs of said frame and. having a. downwardly-directed reflector portion, a brace bar extending between the legs of said frame within said cabinet, a sta-.' tionary electrode supported by said bar and a movable electrode depending from said operat 20.v

ing mechanism through the upper'wall of said cabinet in alinement with'the stationary :electrode.

6. In an arc lamp, the combination of a U- shaped frame, electrode-operating mechanism carried by said frame, a reflector cabinet iocated between and secured to the legs of said frame and having two diverging'hood-like re-' fiector members, the inner portions of which merge in an arm chamber, a brace bar extend-- ing. between thelegs of saidframe within said arc chamber, a stationary electrode supported by said bar and a movable electrode depending from said operating mechanism through the upper wall of said cabinet in alinement with the pending from said operating mechanism through I the upper Wall of said cabinet in alinement with w the stationary electrode. 1e

trodes engageable by said clutches and stationary electrodes supported in alinement with the movable electrodes.

9. In an arc lamp, the combination of a U- shaped operating lever, a'strip of insulating material wrapped around the bight of said lever, a

clamping member clamped around said bight and insulation and having a bearing extension, and a clutch-operating link having its upper end bent laterally and journaled in said bearing.

JAMES H. WAGENHORST. 

